| If you are worried that you may have lung | | | | my grandmother's was calcium build up. |
| cancer, I would like you to first relax. Understand | | | | If you have been told you have a nodule on your |
| that detecting lung cancer is a long process, and | | | | lung, you doctor can run various tests to see if it |
| along the way there are many other reasons for | | | | is other possibilities. If it does come back as a |
| everything that seems abnormal. If you fear that | | | | tumor after this test, then it is still not time to |
| you have detected lung cancer in you or a close | | | | worry. The next step is a biopsy exam. A biopsy |
| loved one, please do not panic, let the doctor | | | | will be able to tell if it is cancerous cells or just a |
| make the call. | | | | tumor. You are not officially diagnosed with lung |
| The first thing I would like to cover is your | | | | cancer until the biopsy results come back as |
| emotions. I have had many family members who | | | | cancerous, and that is very rare compared to the |
| have been tested for lung cancer recently, and | | | | number of people who are tested. |
| even though they are at high risk and they had all | | | | If your results came back as cancerous, then the |
| the symptoms, they did not have lung cancer. So | | | | best of luck to you. Join support groups, and |
| please, please do not worry until the doctor has | | | | evaluate your life so you are able to share your |
| diagnosed you with lung cancer. It is not official | | | | experience with others and your children. How |
| until then. | | | | would you want them to prevent lung cancer? |
| If you are experiencing the following symptoms | | | | Talk to your doctor about the variety of |
| then you will want to tell your doctor right away | | | | treatment methods and about how severe your |
| and get in for a CT scan. The symptoms are: a | | | | cancer is. The early your stage, the greater |
| new, consistent cough, "smoker's cough" changes, | | | | chance you have of removing all of the cancer |
| coughing up blood, shortness of breath, chest | | | | cells. |
| pain, wheezing, and hoarseness. You also will want | | | | If your test results came back good, then |
| to talk to your doctor about any risk factors that | | | | congratulations, but do not forget this experience |
| you may have. | | | | and still try to limit your risk factors and prevent |
| The CT scan will be able to tell if anything is | | | | yourself from developing lung cancer along with |
| abnormal around or on your lungs. You may have | | | | other cancers. Keep yourself healthy and your |
| a nodule or you may have nothing. Many patients | | | | family healthy. Exercise regularly together. If any |
| will be scared to no end when they have a nodule | | | | of you are at high risk, then work extra hard and |
| on their lung, but relax and know that there are | | | | bring about a greater awareness in your children |
| many possibilities besides a tumor. For example, | | | | about how smoking and drinking can harm them. |
| my mother's ended up being fatty tissue, while | | | | |